5 best UFC fights to look forward to in October 2023

In the world of the UFC, September is officially over, and so it’s time to look forward to October for the leading MMA promotion.

There are three UFC events scheduled for October, and while two of them are APEX Fight Nights, the third is set to be one of the biggest pay-per-views of 2023.

So with a number of excellent fights on tap, fans have plenty to look forward to next month.

Here are five of the biggest UFC fights to look forward to in October 2023.

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#5. Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker – UFC 294

Magomed Ankalaev could well be the best 205lber in the world right now [Image Credit: @ankalaev_magomed on Instagram]

UFC 294 has a number of blockbuster fights on tap, but one that seems to be flying under the radar is the light heavyweight clash between Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker.

We now know that the next light heavyweight title bout will see Alex Pereira square off with former titleholder Jiri Prochazka, but there’s still an argument that Ankalaev deserves to be considered the world’s top 205lber right now.

He beat Jan Blachowicz in the eyes of some last year, but missed out on the title after the judges decided to call the fight a draw.

The Dagestani is admittedly not the most exciting fighter, but he’s still riding a 10-fight unbeaten streak and ought to be next in line for a shot at the gold.

If anyone can bring a special performance out of him, though, it’s Johnny Walker. The Brazilian wildman has calmed his antics somewhat and has looked improved in his recent three-fight win streak.

However, he’s still aggressive to a fault, and is likely to come at Ankalaev like few of his other recent opponents have done.

That means fans could be in for a great fight in Abu Dhabi, and with a lot on the line, this is definitely one of October’s best fights.

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#4. Jonathan Martinez vs. Adrian Yanez – UFC Fight Night 230

Exciting striker Adrian Yanez is back in action next month [Image Credit: @adrianyanez93 on Instagram]

The Fight Night event set for October 14 has a number of exciting-sounding fights on the card, but the best one of the lot might be the bantamweight clash between Jonathan Martinez and Adrian Yanez.

Both of these fighters are currently ranked in the bottom end of the top 15, but an explosive win could well propel the victor up into title contention.

Given the previous that both fighters have, it’s probably fair to suggest that an explosive finish could well happen regardless of the winner.

Martinez is currently riding a five-fight win streak, including a TKO of veteran Cub Swanson. While he hasn’t finished many of his foes in the octagon, ‘The Dragon’ is still hugely aggressive and doesn’t back down from anyone.

Yanez, meanwhile, suffered a bad defeat at the hands of Rob Font last time out. Prior to that, though, he’d built a reputation as one of the 135-pound division’s top gunslingers, winning five fights in a row, four of them via TKO.

It’s highly likely that neither man is going to give an inch here, and while Yanez might have the edge in power, his reckless nature means that anything could happen.

Therefore, fans should expect fireworks – and a possible Fight of the Night contender – from this one.

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#3. Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza – UFC Fight Night 230

Edson Barboza looked back to his best when he faced Billy Quarantillo in April [Image Credit: @edsonbarbozajr on Instagram]

October 14’s Fight Night event is set to be headlined by a potential featherweight banger, as Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza have been matched against one another.

With both of these fighters widely known for their violent striking style, the chances of the bout going the distance seem truly slim. Instead, it seems likely that we’ll see a knockout.

Barboza undeniably has the advantage when it comes to experience. ‘Junior’ has been in the UFC since 2010, and while he appeared to be slowing down with two losses in 2021 and 2022, he looked back to his best in his April KO of Billy Quarantillo.

Overall, he still possesses the nasty knees, leg kicks and explosive timing that he’s always had, and that makes him a danger to any 145lber.

Yusuff, on the other hand, has been almost perfect in his octagon career thus far, going 6-1 with his only loss coming to the highly rated Arnold Allen. ‘Super Sodiq’ has heavy hands and a ruthless finishing instinct, but he’s also more technical than he’s given credit for, and has a good boxing game.

On paper, he should probably be favoured to win this one due to Barboza’s waning durability, but the truth is that ‘Junior’ cannot be counted out. Therefore, this fight could be a wild one to watch, and stands as one of October’s best.

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#2. Khamzat Chimaev vs. Paulo Costa – UFC 294

Can Paulo Costa become the man to stop Khamzat Chimaev? [Image Credit: @borrachinhamma on Instagram]

UFC 294 has a major title bout in its headline slot, but it’s also arguable that the event’s co-headliner is an equally big fight.

The bout in question will see Khamzat Chimaev move up to 185 pounds for the first time in three years to face off against former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa. With the title scene at 185 pounds now wide open, the winner of this one could well receive a shot at the gold.

That’s not the only reason that this is a fantastic bout, though. Since his 2020 debut, Chimaev has been unstoppable. ‘Borz’ has run through six straight foes, with only Gilbert Burns really testing him, and has become a superstar in the process.

However, whether his bullying style can cut it against Costa is another thing. ‘The Eraser’ is a huge 185lber who loves to back his opponents up with a brutal kickboxing game, and while there are question marks around him, he’s more proven at this weight than Chimaev.

If ‘Borz’ can’t get Costa to the ground, then, this could well prove to be his toughest test to date, particularly as the Brazilian possesses hugely heavy hands. If Chimaev wipes the floor with him as he did to the likes of Kevin Holland, though, it’ll be hard not to see him as a future champion.

Overall, a lot of questions will be answered by this blockbuster fight, and it’s easily one of October’s best on paper.

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#1. Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira – UFC 294

Can Islam Makhachev hold onto the lightweight title next month? [Image Credit: @islam_makhachev on Instagram]

The only UFC title bout set for October is also the month’s biggest and best fight. It will pit reigning lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev against the man who he took the title from a year ago, former champion Charles Oliveira.

On the face of it, this fight may not be as exciting on paper as it sounds. After all, the first time they fought, Makhachev basically whitewashed ‘Do Bronx’, dropping him before submitting him with an arm-triangle choke in the second round.

However, since then, Oliveira has bounced back, and looked better than ever when he stopped the highly-rated Beneil Dariush in June.

More to the point, ‘Do Bronx’ is still arguably the most deadly finisher in the entire UFC, with just two of his 22 octagon wins coming via decision.

Makhachev is still a difficult match for him, with his stifling takedown game backed up by heavy hands and a nasty submission arsenal. However, if Oliveira can hurt him, he can definitely finish him off, meaning it’s impossible to count the Brazilian out.

Overall, though, it’s hard to deny that this is a clash of the best two 155lbers on the planet right now, and so it should definitely be considered the best fight on tap for October.